Winning Machine can rebound from a rare sub par effort when the 7-year-old gelding defends his title in the $50,000 Budweiser Handicap on Sunday June 16.
Twelve of the region’s best 3-year-olds and up are nominated to the one-mile Budweiser, second stop on the road to the $200,000 Longacres Mile (G3) on Sunday, August 18.
Winning Machine is established as one of the better horses in track history. A Kentucky-bred by Toccet-Dance With Carson, Winning Machine has compiled a record of 8-8-4 in 30 starts at Emerald Downs, including four stakes wins, honors as Top 3-Year-old Male in 2009, and was runner-up in the 2012 Longacres Mile. In the May 12 Governor’s Handicap, however, Winning Machine faded in the stretch, finishing eighth, as Canadian invader Hoist scored by one length in 1:14.78 for 6 ½ furlongs.
Winning Machine has a history of making amends for dull efforts. In the 2011 Governor’s Handicap, for example, he finished ninth, but rebounded to run a good second to Noosa Beach in the Budweiser Handicap. In last year’s Budweiser, Winning Machine reeled in Rainier Ice and scored by a half-length in 1:34.44 for one mile.
Hoist attempts to carry his speed around two turns in the Budweiser. Winner of four-of-11 starts, the 4-year-old Mineshaft gelding set wicked fractions in the Governor’s*:21.93, :43.83,1:08.12*and pretty much raced his opposition into defeat. The horses laying second, third and fourth to Hoist*Edge Forward, Winning Machine and D’honorable One*finished sixth, seventh and eighth in the eight-horse field.
Stryker Phd, an improving 4-year-old, and Why Not Be Perfect, a multiple stakes-winning 6-year-old, rallied to finish second and third in the Budweiser, and figure to relish the added distance in the Budweiser.
Makors Finale missed the Governor’s with a foot ailment, but the 4-year-old was back on the beam in a June 1 allowance race, running six furlongs in 1:08.27 to defeat Rocky’s Quest by a half-length. The 2012 Washington Horse of the Year is unbeaten in three career starts at one mile.
Hudson Landing has earned $507,648 in a 40-race career, including two graded stakes victories at Golden Gate Fields. The 6-year-old gelding has won five races and over $250,000 since being claimed last year by Jared Chappell and trainer Blaine Wright.
Washington Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney nominated 5-year-olds Jebrica and Kooky Saluki to the Budweiser. Jebrica came off the bench to finish a close fourth to Makors Finale on June 1, while Kooky Saluki finished well to take fifth in the Governor’s.
Budweiser Handicap
Sunday, June 16, 2013–3-Year-Olds & Up*One Mile
Horse….Owner….Trainer
Assessment (9-KY)….Tice Ranch Stables LLC….Howard Belvoir
Devil in Disguise (4-KY)….North American T’bred Racing Company….Mike Puhich
Hoist (4-KY)….North American T’bred Racing Company….Mike Puhich
Hudson Landing (6-KY)….Chappell Alpine Farms LLC….Blaine Wright
Jebrica (5-WA)….R & R Warren LLC….Jim Penney
Kooky Saluki (5-WA)….MOH Stables, Inc…..Jim Penney
Makors Finale (4-WA) Karl Krieg Tom Wenzel
Rocky’s Quest (5-KY)….John & Janene Maryanski….Blaine Wright
Stryker Phd (4-WA)….Jim & Mona Hour….Margo Lloyd
Theresmyeverything (5-NY)….Mark Dedomenico LLC….Mike Puhich
Why Not Be Perfect (6-KY)….J. C. Racing Stable….Jeff Metz
Winning Machine (7-KY)….Fleur De Lis Stables….Frank Lucarelli
